Rage flooded through me and I charged.
12
Dana
Until now, I’d never really understood why heroines swooned over men in romance novels, especially when it was because they took out a bad guy. Like, logically, I got it. Protective instincts and all. But I’d never really gotten it until now. Watching N’Ashtar take out the Caterri like he was slicing a knife through butter made me wet in a way I hadn’t been in a long time.
Completely inappropriate, but hey, I couldn’t control what cranked my boat. Even if his movements were as terrifying as they were attractive.
“I am sorry,” Squire murmured against me. Until he’d spoken I had forgotten that I was in the middle of a hostage situation, a technologically advanced alien holding a laser gun to my head while my…whatever N’Ashtar was fought off the rest of them with bone swords or a spear. Although when I caught sight of him, he seemed to have stolen one of the swords off the Caterri, which worked.
“They would’ve killed you, wouldn’t they?” I asked, although I was pretty certain of the answer.
“We are replaceable,” he answered. “You are not.”
Yeah, I’d thought so. “And you’re sure you can’t let me go?” I tried.
“Not until they or the attackers are gone.” He at least sounded apologetic. “I am sorry, but it is best to not risk either of us that way.”
“I get it.” And I did. If—God forbid—something did happen to N’Ashtar and I was stuck with the Caterri, pissing them off would not end in my favor. Especially since I was pretty sure my period had stopped, which meant my excuses were fucked. There was no way they’d believe in a bleeding disorder unless I was actually bleeding.
N’Ashtar was down to the last trio of Caterri, and there was savage grace to the way he moved, dodging their attacks while trying to get his own in. But these were three of the warrior Caterri, and they were giving him a hard time. I itched to grab the weapon from Squire and help, but from where I was, I was as likely to shoot N’Ashtar as I was to shoot the Caterri. It wasn’t worth the risk.
I was just about to grab the weapon and go help him anyway, logic be damned, when I heard a shout that froze the fighting for a split second. I jerked my head up, ignoring how that jabbed the end of the gun deeper into the side of my head, and turned to see O’Rrin hurtling towards us, a spear in hand. Between him and N’Ashtar, one of the three Caterri went down immediately and I didn’t think it would be long before the others did.
Except now I was in trouble. Squire, who had been okay at the sight of one N’Akron warrior, had tensed at the sight of the other. “It’s okay—” My soothing words were cut off by N’Ashtar turning and running towards me, apparently deciding O’Rrin could handle the other Caterri.
The gun that had been pointed at my head swung to N’Ashtar, and I moved without thinking, grabbing Squire’s wrist and flipping him. Except I was nice and careful and didn’t break his wrist, because I could understand that level of panic.
The moment he was sprawled on his back, he let go of the gun, his gaze holding mine. There was defeat and acceptance, resignation and sadness, all crossing over his too-beautiful face. He thought N’Ashtar’s appearance meant the end of his life. He was, after all, the enemy, and N’Akron had never showed Caterri mercy before. But this was different. Squire was my Caterri, and he was a good person. He’d proven that over and over again.
“Dana!” N’Ashtar shouted, blade in hand.
“Stop!” I shouted back. He was so surprised he did, staring at me and the Caterri on the ground. “Are the other Caterri dead?”
N’Ashtar gave me a puzzled look and tried to inch closer, his venomous gaze on Squire. “Not yet.” He gestured towards the one I was holding onto.
“But the rest of them are dead?” I repeated, moving to shield Squire with my body. When I glanced at him, there was a gratefulness there.
“I am not worth this,” Squire told me quietly. “I have served my people for too long.”
I looked down at him, my words equally quiet but fierce. “You were nice to me while all the others did was talk about how they wanted my body. You made sure I was warm and fed. You may be Caterri, but you’re a person, too.”
Squire regarded me in silence long enough that I lifted my head to give N’Ashtar a suspicious look when he tried to inch closer. “You are remarkable,” Squire said finally. “Thank you for your kindness.”
My lips tried to curve into a smile but my exhaustion and the now-fading adrenaline didn’t let me. “You were kind to me. I’m just paying it back.”
“Dana,” N’Ashtar repeated, taking a step in my direction. “He is the last one. Once we destroy him, you’re safe.”
“You’re not killing him.” I moved further in front of Squire, crossing my arms over my chest at N’Ashtar’s expression. I might as well have told him to kick a puppy.
Not that they had puppies here.
“But…it’s a Caterri.”
“He helped me,” I pointed out.
“He is still Caterri.”
“He saved me. I might not be here without his help.” I jerked my chin up, not budging. People weren’t black and white. The N’Akron weren’t all good, and the Caterri weren’t all bad. That wasn’t how the world worked, no matter how much easier that would have been.
“What is happening?” O’Rrin moved closer, giving the Caterri quizzical looks and putting a hand on his sword hilt. “Do you need assistance?”
“If you touch him, I will chop your…” I floundered. Normally I would’ve said balls, but given how N’Akron anatomy
